Episode 1: Black Hearted
by TMBlake
Summary: Just when Willow finally thinks she has Tara back, she is taken from her by a bullet in the chest. She will go to any length to get back her love...but what will love cost her? - This is a re-write and expansion on the episode Seeing Red.
1. A Deal With Osiris

**A Deal with Osiris**

"Hmph," murmured Willow, fastening the last button of her white shirt, red hair falling over her shoulders. "Hey, clothes!" she said playfully, rubbing her hands on her jeans. Warm sunlight shone through the window behind her.

Tara, standing in front of her, eyed the clothes, and replied, "Better not get used to 'em." A smile played at her lips.

"Mmm, yes, ma'am," Willow said smoothly, grabbing the waist of Tara's jeans and pulling her into a kiss. Their lips brushed, and both gave in to their affection. Their mouths separated and they clung to each other in a tight embrace.

"Mmm," let out a content Tara. Her eyes drifted up and through the glittering window. She noticed Buffy poking around the bushes on the lawn, Xander approaching from behind. "Xander," she pronounced, almost unsurely.

"Okay, not quite the response I was fishin' for," exclaimed Willow with a smile, walking over to the mahogany dresser.

Tara moved closer to the window. "No, he's here." Proving her point, she gestured down to the lawn.

Opening a drawer, Willow asked hopefully, "Think they're making up?"

"I hope so," answered Tara with a smile, "that's the best part."

Smiling herself, Willow walked over to Tara, and they kissed once more. They broke apart, Willow grabbing Tara's hand and taking a step back. "I'm glad to have you back, baby."

Tara sighed in return.

Willow frowned. "What? Are you not glad to have me back? Cuz…when we were in bed…"

"No!" Tara laughed. "No, it's not that. It's just," she looked away. "It w-was hard." She was silent for a moment, then elaborated, "When I would see you, and touch you…it was hard not to give in."

This earned a grin from Willow. "Guess that just means we were," she paused for dramatic effect, "meant to be." She kissed Tara again, and said, "I love you."  
Tara whispered back, "I love you too."

Willow walked back towards the dresser, but stopped halfway, turning back to face Tara. "Wanna have more crazy sex later?" She smiled optimistically.

"You're making me wait?" Tara smirked, and they both laughed.

A loud bang erupted from outside, followed by four more. The glass behind Tara shattered, and blood sprayed onto Willow's shirt.

Tara was staring at the red liquid that now stained Willow's clothes. "Your shirt," she said, confusion written across her face, and then she collapsed to the ground.  
Willow exclaimed, "Tara?" She ran to Tara's side, falling onto her knees. "Tara?" she said again, more urgently. Tears began to fall from her eyes, and she sobbed, "Baby?" She picked Tara up into her lap. "Baby come on!" She began to rock Tara. "Get up!" she cried. "No!" she wailed. "No!" More sobs escaped her lips. "No!" she said again. Weeping, she tilted her head up, and she felt the magic overtake her. Her eyes turned black, then flashed into red.

She looked back down, now breathing heavily. "Oh, God! Oh, no!" She held Tara's head and looked at her still face. "Please! Please, come on!" She sobbed. "Come on, Tara!" she urged, tears streaming onto the floor. "Please, come on, baby!" She gasped, letting out another wrenching sob.

Wind began to howl, and dark clouds gathered above them, casting the room in shadows. Willow looked up at the ceiling, eyes black once more. "By Osiris… I command you, bring her back!" There was a flash of lightning in answer. "Hear me, Keeper of Darkness!"

The clouds formed a funnel in front of her, and it slammed into the ground. A face appeared in the billowing mass, and it began to speak, voice deep and rough, "Witch! How dare you invoke Osiris in this task."

"Please," she pleaded, "please, bring her back."

Lightning coursed along Osiris' billowing face. "You may not violate the laws of natural passing."

Willow looked down at Tara's body in disbelief, "How? How is this natural?"

Osiris growled, "It is a human death by human means."

"But I-"

"You raised one killed by mystical forces," Osiris cut her off. "This is not the same." Willow shook her head. "She is taken by natural order. It is done."

"No! There has to be a way!" Tears were streaming down Willow's face.

"It is done!" Osiris repeated, voice growing louder.

"No!" Willow yelled. Her outburst created a beam of rippling energy that slammed into the cloud, causing Osiris to scream. "There _must_ be a way. A…" she looked around desperately, "a trade!"

Osiris, weakened from her blast, said firmly, "There can be no trade!"

"M-my magic. I…I'll give up my magic!" Willow exclaimed in a final attempt.

Osiris chuckled evilly. "You would give up your powers, given to you by the forces of darkness, to bring back this pathetic _human_?"

Willow hesitated. Did she really want to do this? "Yes…yes, I would!" she decided. "Take it. Take my magic! Without her… I'm nothing!"

Lightning cracked, brightening up the room. "With her you are useless!" Osiris spat. "Her power could never compare with yours!"

"I don't care!" Willow cried, "Take it!"

"It cannot be undone!"

"_Take it_!" Willow shouted.

"It is done!" Osiris said with a final flash of violet lightning.

Willow felt the magic rip from the very fibers of her body, tear from her soul. She screamed as pain coursed through her nerves. Orbs of pulsing light burst from her chest, hurtling towards Osiris where they disappeared in his mass. Then it was over, and Willow collapsed onto her hands, weak from the strain.

The clouds receded and soon disappeared, returning the room to its normal state. In her lap, Tara began to cough. Willow looked down as Tara's eyes opened weakly.

Outside, the wailing sirens of an ambulance approached.


	2. A Shock At The Hospital

**A Shock at the Hospital**

"Baby?" Willow whispered, tears beginning to flow again. She heard voices on the lawn.

"Tara? I-I'm gonna get help." She gently laid Tara down and ran out of the room. She arrived on the lawn to see a couple of men dressed in blue, medical equipment beside them, Xander standing close by. "Help!" she shouted, getting their attention. Xander ran up to her.

"It's okay, Willow, the people are already here. They already know Buffy's been shot…"

"Tara!" she said through blurry eyes. "_Tara's_ been shot." Confusion overtook Xander's features. "Help!" Willow screamed again at the medics. One medic who had still been in the ambulance approached her in a jog, yelling from across the lawn, "What's wrong?"

"It's Tara, she- she's been shot!" she answered him. She still didn't believe those words.

"I'm going to need you to tell me where she is," he replied in a smooth voice, most likely trying to calm her.

"Upstairs," she responded. "Wha- what do we do?"

The medic returned to the ambulance.

"What are you doing?" she called after him.

"Helping your friend."

The medic exited the ambulance, carrying a stretcher. There was another medic holding the other end of the stretcher, along with an oxygen tank.

"My _girl_friend," she corrected.

"Show us," the first medic said as he passed her.

Willow slipped by them, running up the stairs and into her room. "H-here! Is- is she gonna be-"

"Stand back," Medic #2 commanded.

"O-okay," she stuttered, moving out of their way.

Medic #1 took a stethoscope from around his neck, quickly placing the stubs in his ears and the circular part on Tara's chest. "It sounds wet," he said quickly, speaking to Medic #2.

Medic #2 attached a small plastic thing to Tara's finger, a long wire connecting it to a blood pressure monitor on the oxygen tank. It read 27/30.

"Is… is that bad?" Willow asked, voice quavering.

The medics ignored her. "We need to get her to the hospital, ASAP," Medic #1 said firmly, and, with Medic #2's help, they laid Tara on the stretcher, attaching the oxygen mask to her face.

"Oh God, Tara."

Within moments, they were out the door, Willow standing there helpless. _Her face… so pale…  
_  
Returning to reality, she realized the room was empty. She ran back downstairs just in time to see them close the back doors of the ambulance, Tara and Buffy both on stretchers inside.

Xander stood in the middle of the lawn, next to the blood-slick patch on the grass where Buffy had been, watching the ambulance drive down the street. He noticed her standing on the doorstep and called to her, "I think it'd be better if I drove..."

* * *

Tara and Buffy had been rushed to separate rooms on floor 3, but both Xander and Willow were forced into the waiting room. Now they sat side-by-side, the small, brightly lit room oddly empty.

"So what happened?" Xander asked, hand massaging his forehead.

"I don't wanna talk about it," whispered Willow, looking away.

"Don't you think it'd be best if we-"

"Then start talking!" she growled back. _I need to be with Tara!_ Her eyes were already beginning to burn again.

"Okay…" Xander said slowly. "Let's see, where to start… how 'bout when Warren showed up with a gun?"

Willow's eyes flashed, and for a second she felt magic, but then realized it was just anger. _I don't have magic anymore._ The realization hit her full force, and for a moment she lost her breath. Xander's words registered in her mind. "_Warren? You let Warren_ _kill Tara?_"

Xander, taken aback by her words, blurted, "Kill? Wha-"

"I _said_ I don't want to talk about it!" she repeated, getting up.

"Where are you going?" Xander asked, standing up and grabbing her arm.

"Where do you think?" she said dryly. Then she shrugged out of his grip and jogged down the white, linoleum-floored hall. _If Tara dies… my magic will stay gone. What have I done?_ Banishing these thoughts, she slammed the door to room 317 open. There was only one nurse in the room, cleaning up, and no Tara.

"Wh-where is she?" asked Willow nervously. _Oh my God, she's dead!_

The Asian nurse looked up at her, thin brown eyes crinkling in a smile, "She was moved to room 403 for immediate surgery."

Willow was out the door and back in the waiting room in no time, pressing #4 on the elevator. Xander hadn't been in the waiting room, so she assumed he was checking on Buffy. _Come on, come on!_ The elevator was moving too slowly for her liking.

Floor 4 was announced with a metallic _ding_ and the doors slid open to reveal an identical waiting room as the floors below it.

"403, 403," Willow whispered to herself, quickly finding it down a déjà-vu-worthy white, linoleum-floored hall.

A doctor and four other nurses dressed in green lab coats were leaning over Tara. They looked up as she entered, and the nearest nurse said, "There is no one allowed in-"

"I _need_ to be here," Willow pleaded with the woman.

"I'm sorry, but-"

Willow shouldered the woman out of the way, eyes taking in the doctors working on Tara, and Tara lying there, countless tubes connected to various machines. _My Tara...my love. What have I let happen to you? _She sat down in a chair in the corner and listened to the doctor's conversation.

A blonde-haired male nurse whispered, probably not to be overheard but failing, "Good thing we just got this heart in from L.A. The girl would have died without it."

_Oh, Goddess. She needed a new heart… Please, Tara, be alright.  
_  
The door swung open and Xander walked in. "Will…you shouldn't be in here."

"But, I need to be with-"

"I know," he cut her off. "The doctors need to concentrate, and they could do that better alone."

"It's just-" the tears began to flow again, and Xander held her.

"It's okay," Xander comforted. "She's gonna be alright, Will."

Slowly, he guided her out into the fourth floor waiting room where Willow cried herself to sleep in his arms.

* * *

"Willow," it croaked at her. "Willow," the frog ribbited. She screamed. Frogs… everywhere! "Willow, Willow, Willow."

She snapped her eyes open.

"Willow?" Xander repeated.

"Huh? Wha-" Willow rubbed her eyes, removing the sleep that had accumulated in the corners. She took in the waiting room, and it all came rushing back to her. "How's Tara?!"

"They said you can go see her now. Room 426. She's still weak bu-"

She was up before he could finish the sentence.

Willow all but ran down the hall, passing numerous doors until she spotted one with a 426 placard on it. She peered in through the small window set in the door, and spotted Tara lying on a white hospital bed, beige lamp casting dim light in the room. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be sleeping. Willow pushed open the door as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb her love.

"Tara?" Willow whispered. She walked to the bed and softly grabbed Tara's hand. "Baby?"

Tara's still face smiled and whispered something, but Willow couldn't hear. Her eyes were still closed, so Willow wasn't sure if she had even awoken.

She leaned her head closer. "What, baby?"

"I'm not Tara." Her eyelids snapped open to reveal completely obsidian eyes, and Willow screamed.


	3. Willow Takes Charge

**Willow Takes Charge**

The door banged open and a redheaded nurse ran in. "What is it? What's-" He stopped when he looked at Tara, who was now sitting upright in bed. "Your…your eyes."

"What, you don't like them?" Tara cackled. Her voice was deep.

"H-help," the nurse murmured.

"Now, does it look like we need help?" She lifted her hand and the lamp hurtled at the nurse's head where it shattered, sending shards of glass and metal flying. The man collapsed, a large gouge in the back of his head.

"T-Tara, h…how could you?" Willow's breath came in quick gasps. Though there was now no light on in the room, there was a meager but sufficient amount spilling in through the thin, rectangular window on the door. She could still make out Tara in the gloom.

The un-Tara voice replied, "I said _I'm not Tara_!" The window shattered with a loud bang, shards of glass flying into the room, and something hit Willow over the head. As she collapsed to the ground, she saw the door open, a shadow walked out, and then it closed, letting the darkness claim her.

* * *

Willow awoke some time later to the persistent shakes of the Asian nurse.

"Here, let's get you up on the bed," she said kindly.

"I don't," the room did a quick spin, "have time." She collapsed onto the bed. "I'm just a… just a bit dizzy."

"Well, no wonder," the nurse said, "you were hit with this chair." She held up a small wooden chair, the same one Willow had sat in earlier. "You're going to have quite a bump."

The woman edged closer. Through Willow's blurry eyes, she noticed the woman's face change. Maybe she was just seeing things...

"You're such a sweet girl," the nurse whispered, bending over Willow. "I wonder how you taste."

...or not.

The woman bared her fangs and lunged at Willow's neck.

"She's taken, you sick pervert," said Xander, sticking the chair leg through the nurse's back.

The nurse exploded in a cloud of dust, which settled quietly over Willow.

"Xander! Oh, thank god!" exclaimed Willow, coughing from the dusty deluge.

"Let's go," he said, placing the chair against the wall.

"Where?" she asked, following him.

"To see the Buffster."

* * *

"Will!" exclaimed Buffy as they walked in. "How ya been?"

Willow stood next to Buffy who lay propped up on the medical bed with a bunch of pillows. Xander was at the foot of the bed.

"Long story," Xander butted in.

"Tara was shot, she died, I brought her back, and now she's possessed by a demon that's on some demony rampage," Willow explained.

"Apparently, not that long," Xander murmured. "So, let's get this straight. Tara died…and you brought her back. Like Buff?"

"Not quite..." Willow's face scrunched up.

"Well, tell us then!" laughed Buffy.

"Maybe later… I'm more worried about stopping this demon. And, how are you Buffy? Xander said you were shot too."

"I was shot. Bullet removed. I'll live. I'm the Slayer, remember? I heal at Slayer speed."

"Speaking of which," Xander turned to Willow. "If Tara was shot, how is it she's walking around? I mean, Buff isn't even up to par yet, even with her Slayerness."

"I'm not sure," Willow replied, "But I think the demon may have healed her." Xander nodded. "Or, it's walking around trying to do something before the body… well… dies." Xander nodded again. "I was kinda hopin' for the first one."

"Well, Will, what do you think we should do?" Buffy asked, grabbing Willow's hand.

"I was kinda hoping you'd know," Willow said with a small smile. "I-I mean, don't feel like you have to! I have my own ideas…"

"Well, like what? Gonna do a spell?" Buffy asked.

"Um… in a way," Willow looked away and started rubbing her arm.

"What way?" Xander asked.

"In the way that I'm not doing it." She gave a nervous smile.

"Well, who will?" said Xander cautiously.

"Amy."

"What?!" Buffy and Xander blurted at the same time.

"You _do_ remember that she's… well… _evil_?!" Xander said sarcastically.

"Let's just say I know how to get her to comply."

"Will, are you sure?" Buffy asked, concern on her face.

"Yes, I'm positive. And, Buffy; maybe you could call Giles, see what kind of demon this could be. After that, if you're feeling better, meet me at the Magic Box. I have a feeling that's where we'll find our demon." Willow walked out the door, leaving the two of them staring.

* * *

Amy walked slowly down the sidewalk, a slight breeze blowing through her mahogany hair. In her hand was an open and partially eaten string cheese. She was out enjoying the day.

People she didn't know, and probably never would, walked by, eyes scanning the storefronts to her left for something to buy. She was heading for the Magic Box, the building directly ahead of her.

She hoped Willow would be there. Maybe she could get under that naïve witch's skin again, bring out the oh-so-fun dark side.

"Bind!" she heard behind her, and then a gel-like substance wrapped around her waist, lifting her in the air so she couldn't move. She revolved in the air to face Willow, who smiled up at her.

"Hello, Amy."


	4. The Exorcism

**The Exorcism**

Willow noticed as soon as she used the spell that people quickly avoided the area. _Hmm, just because I can't use magic doesn't mean I can't use pre-made spells!  
_  
She looked up at Amy, who glared down at her. "Hello, Amy." Willow smiled. Amy just continued to glower. "Didn't think… didn't _want_ to see you again. But, I don't have a choice."

"And why's that?" Amy snapped.

"My girlfriend's been possessed. I need your help to do an exorcism. You're not really in a place to make decisions, so I'm guessing you'll help." Willow smirked up at her.

"And if I don't?" Amy sneered.

"Well, let's just say it's back in the cage for ya!" _Please don't know I'm bluffing. Please don't know I'm bluffing.  
_  
A flash of fear crossed over Amy's face, but she quickly composed herself. "Fine," she said with a huff.

"Good!" Willow breathed a sigh of relief. "We'll need binding powder and a few more items, all of which _should_ be at the Magic Box. The trouble is getting them… My guess is, the demon's already there. Most likely, it will put up a fight. Are you ready?"

Amy nodded again. She was ready, alright. She had a plan.

* * *

"Giles?" Buffy spoke into the receiver.

"Hello, Buffy. Good to hear from you! I assume there's trouble?"

Buffy laughed. "Sort of…but we can handle it! We just…need your help. We need to find out a type of demon."

"Right. Give me the details. What's it look like?"

"Well….Tara. It possessed Tara," Buffy said slowly.

"Hmm, there's many species of demon that are capable of taking over a host. Most enter while the body is weak, but they have to be invited in…has Tara been injured recently?"

"As a matter of fact, the other day we were both shot! It was no big thing…just, you know, Warren coming to kill us…"

A burst of static came rushing through the phone. It sounded like Giles had dropped it. After a moment, his anxious voice said, "My God, Buffy, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Now, back to Tara. She had to have a heart transplanty thing…"

"Oh, yes. I think I know what kind of demon this is. Though…I've never heard of this happening before."

"You know just off of what I've told you? Okay then... what is this new big bad?"

"It's- it's a vampire demon."

"A _what_?" Buffy yelled, causing Xander to jolt in his chair.

"Yes, a vampire demon. See, the two main organs of a vampire…and consequently anyone, are the brain and the heart. When a demon enters a vampire's corpse to "activate" them, it has to first "activate" the heart, and then it can control the brain. Tara received a heart transplant…and the amiable donor must have been a vampire who had yet to be activated. How unfortunate…."

"Well, what do we do?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to stake her."

"WHAT?" Buffy yelled again, making Xander fall out of his chair.

"I'm just joking, Buffy."

"Giles. You don't joke. Don't start now. _What do we do_?"

"An exorcism, of course. We've dealt with things like this before; I do think you are capable of handling it yourselves. Now, I must go, I have a meeting with the Watchers Council in a few minutes. Good luck."

With a click, the phone disconnected, and Buffy returned the phone to its cradle. "Let's go find Willow."

* * *

The door to the Magic Box was open, barely hanging on by its hinges. A "closed" sign was in the corner of the window. "Yep, looks like it's here," Willow said, taking a breath. "When we get inside, you look for the items, I'll distract the demon." Amy nodded. "Let's go."

They entered into the store. Shelves lay on their sides and glass was sprayed across the floor. It was hard to make out anything in the darkness; not a sound could be heard. "Go!" she whispered to Amy.

Amy complied and walked cautiously off to the right.

Willow walked slowly forward, eyes scanning for anything moving. She walked past the cash register and stopped. Though she could see nothing, she _knew_ something was there. "T-Tara?" she spoke weakly. There was a creak from up where the "darker" spellbooks were. She gradually made her way up the ladder, firmly placing her feet on each rung. She reached the top and pulled herself to a stand.

She looked to her right and saw nothing. As she turned her head left, a dark shadow rushed at her, slamming into her and knocking her off the side of the ledge.

They crashed hard onto the wood floor, Willow's back crunching onto broken glass. "Ahh!" she cried out in pain. Tara rolled off her, hissing evilly. Willow tried to stand up, but the thing charged again, slamming her into a bookshelf. She collapsed to the ground, books falling around her. The demon lunged at her, teeth bared.

A feminine grunt came from her left, followed by a thunk as Tara collapsed on top of her. "And the bitch is down!" Amy laughed.

* * *

They had pushed the table out of the way, and had Tara tied down on a chair. There was a pale ring of binding powder around the chair, serving to keep the demon contained when they exorcised it.

Amy and Willow sat on the floor facing each other, a pot of foul smelling ingredients between them. It glowed a sickly green, and a thin column of steam spiraled off the liquid surface.

Amy began the incantation, and Willow closed her eyes, pretending to do the same. _I just hope she's powerful enough to do this alone…  
_  
With each word that left Amy's mouth, a crackling spark rose from within the liquid and entered Tara's chest. The chant was almost over. An unearthly wail burst from Tara's mouth, and her face contorted into that of the demon's, features dark and rigid, eyes bright red.

"You will not succeed!" it howled, and wind began to rush around them, sending papers swirling in the air.

Amy had finished the chant, and now her eyes had turned black. "A-Amy…" Willow stuttered.

"Silence!" She growled. "Demon from the Nether, I command you. Prince of Darkness, give me strength! Take this offering I present to you and bless me with your power!"

"O-offering?" Willow said nervously, standing up and backing away.

"Silence!" Amy roared again, throwing up her hand and sending Willow crashing into a glass display case. "Take this offering and imbue me with strength! Reward your faithful servant!"

The demon howled and a black plume of smoke began to emit from Tara's body. It formed at the edge of the binding circle. The demon solidified as the last bursts of smoke sunk into its flesh. "Release me!" It commanded.

Amy stepped forward and bent down, wiping off a small portion of the circle.

The demon rushed at Willow, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her off her feet.

The door to the Magic Box opened, and Warren walked in, gun held in front of him.


	5. Reunited

**Reunited**

Willow's eyes widened as she took in Warren's presence in the doorway, but she was soon distracted by the lack of air her lungs were receiving. Lights danced before her eyes as the flow of oxygen was restricted.

The demon placed it's free hand on her chest. "I accept your offering, Beloved One. Now watch, as I devour her heart!" Its scaly hand began to glow a deep violet, but nothing happened. "What is happening?" it growled.

"It seems to me your powers aren't quite effective," came a familiar voice from the doorway.

The demon released its grip on Willow and she collapsed to the floor, coughing as she gasped for air. Here eyes were blurred, but she could still see who stood in the doorway behind Warren. She smiled as she whispered, "Giles."

* * *

Warren turned to face Giles, ready to fire, but Giles merely waved his hand and the gun flew out of Warren's grip. "Bind," he growled at Warren, and he was quickly encased in gel and lying resolute on the floor.

"Who dares to challenge me?" the demon hissed at him.

"Enough with the talk. Let's end this." Giles stepped closer, beginning a chant.

The demon howled, and it shifted into a hovering black mass of smoke, entering into Willow's open mouth.

Willow's eyes flashed black, and she stood up, facing Giles. Wind began to howl in the room, and her hair flew back. "Not so fast, old man." She raised her hands, "Intatae!" Giles spun sideways, head banging into a wall. "Well, wasn't that easy."

The gel covering Warren melted away, and he stood up, pointing his gun at Willow. "D-don't come closer. I'll use it!"

"Yes, I'm sure you will." She merely bent a finger, and Warren's skin flew off. Blood spattered the walls and ceiling, his skin slapping wetly onto the floor.

Amy disappeared in a bright flash. "Coward!" Demon Willow called into the darkness. Turning to Giles, who still lay in a heap, she whispered, "Look who's left." She cackled evilly, and walked slowly towards him.

"Don't take another step."

Demon Willow howled. Buffy stood in the doorway.

* * *

"Or what? You'll hit me? I could kill you in a second." She seemed to ponder this for a moment. "As a matter of fact, I think that's what I'll do." She thrust out her hands, blue and violet magical beams hurtling towards Buffy.

Buffy didn't even flinch as the rays hit a mystical barrier barely inches before her.

"Ah. A counter spell. Clever. Too bad I'm still going to have to kill you."

"I'd like to see you try," Buffy countered.  
Demon Willow laughed. "You have no idea who you're messing with."

"No, but you have my friend, and I'm pissed off. I'd say we're about even. There is, of course, one difference."

"And what's that?"

Buffy smirked. "I'm going to win." She charged at Demon Willow, stopping short for a roundhouse kick. The blow merely knocked Willow a step back.

The demon blocked a punch by Buffy, but staggered again when it received a kick from its side. This time it retaliated, punching quick and hard at her face. The strike knocked Buffy to the ground.

"Guess you're strong. But I'm stronger." Buffy rushed at the demon again, jumping in the air and kicking out with both legs. Demon Willow flew backwards, knocking over the chair with the unconscious Tara still tied to it.

Demon Willow growled, jumping up and kicking at Buffy.

Buffy grabbed the leg, spinning the demon in the air. It landed hard on the floor, and Buffy grabbed it by the legs, throwing it into the wall.

Behind her, she heard rustling, and turned to see Giles standing up.

* * *

Giles stood up, head sore from its collision with the wall. His eyes took in the situation: Buffy and Demon Willow fighting. She could handle herself; he needed to figure out how to send the demon back to hell.

He heard mutterings from outside, and walked to the door to find Anya, a spellbook open in her hands, chanting an incantation. "Anya! Good. I need your help."

"Um…okay," Anya replied with a modest shrug.

"We need to send this demon back to hell. It shouldn't be that hard since the demon has already been exorcised once. I'll need you to go in the back door, that way you can get around it. Once I nod to you, I need you to shout, 'Demon, begone!' ok?"

"Whatever works," replied Anya. She walked off and around the corner of the building.

Giles began the incantation.

* * *

Buffy, distracted by watching Giles, was kicked in the side and sent sprawling to the floor. She grunted, and jumped to her feet. She threw up her hands and blocked a punch, countering it with one of her own. Her fist smashed into the demon's face, and it growled, grabbing her and throwing her over the counter.

"Demon begone!" Giles and Anya's voices echoed.

Demon Willow screeched, and black smoke burst from her mouth. The demon cloud slammed into the floor where it dissipated, leaving Willow on the floor, breathing heavily.

Giles and Buffy ran to Willow's side, and Anya untied Tara.

Buffy hugged Willow. "Are you alright?"

"I may be a bit bruised in the morning," she smiled, "but yea, I'm alright." Cringing, she stood up, limping over to Tara, who was still unconscious on the floor. Anya was kneeling next to her.

Willow sat down, gently rubbing her hand along Tara's cheek. "Baby?"

Tara's eyes slowly opened, and a thin smile appeared. "W-Willow?"

Anya stood up and walked out the door of the Magic Box, followed by Buffy and Giles.

"Yea baby, it's me."

"Am…" she licked her dry lips, "Am I in heaven?"

"No, Tara. You're right here with me." Willow smiled, eyes watery once more.

"I never thought I'd see you again. Willow…I was so scared."

"I know, baby, but it's alright." She picked Tara up into her arms, rocking her slowly. "I would have died without you," Willow held back a sob.

"I thought I was dead," Tara said, crying herself.

"About that… well… it can wait."

They continued to hold each other, time having no meaning. They had each other. Nothing else mattered.


End file.
